asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will increase the number of drift net licences permitted on the lower Shannon from 70 to 80.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drift Net Licences.
7.
The answer is no.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the people who held licences in 1934 are entitled to get licences in preference to others even though they may not have fished since that year? Because of this people who have fished the river continuously cannot get licences. Has the Parliamentary Secretary any comment to make on this?
The Shannon area is not controlled by the Control of Fishing for Salmon Order, 1973. There have been certain regulations in existence down through the years. The holders of licences in 1934 or their successors get priority from the board. I understand that the Deputy is a member of the board. The Deputy must be conversant with the regulations. If he is not conversant with them I will send him a copy of them.
Some of these people have not fished since 1934, and yet they have preference. They will get licences over the heads of men who have fished the river since then.
The Deputy is engaging in argument.
It is a matter for the board of which the Deputy is a member. If the Deputy thinks that abuses exist in the allocation of licences and if he submits evidence to the Department to substantiate that evidence the matter will be investigated.
I raised this matter on the Adjournment two weeks ago and the Parliamentary Secretary did not come in here.
I have allowed Deputy Daly to ventilate his feelings. We must move on to the next question.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary tell me the number of people who held licences in 1934 and who are now fishing the Shannon?
That is a separate question.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary advise the drift net fishermen on the Shannon to issue their own licences as seems to be tolerated in west Cork?
There is no question of that being tolerated in any part of the country. In my part of the country people cannot issue licences on their own.
That is the only way out of it for the islanders of this country.